Sudhir Patwardhan

Sudhir Patwardhan is a contemporary, self-taught Indian artist whose work primarily concerns the dynamic cityscape with people in their everyday experiences, forming his dramatis personae.

Biography of Sudhir Patwardhan

Sudhir Patwardhan was born in 1949 in Pune, Maharashtra. After completing his medical studies at the Armed Forces Medical College in Pune, he relocated to Mumbai in 1973. From 1975 to 2005, he worked as a Radiologist in Thane while pursuing his passion for art as a self-taught artist.

In the late 1970s, Sudhir Patwardhan began showcasing his artwork, marking the start of his artistic career. His first solo exhibition took place in 1979 at the theatre personality E. Alkazi's art gallery, Art Heritage. The exhibition was later held at the Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai. Since then, he has exhibited his work regularly both in India and internationally.

Throughout his artistic journey, Patwardhan has held over fifteen solo exhibitions at major galleries, including Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai (1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2002, 2017), Art Heritage in Delhi (1990, 1994), Gallery Chemould in Mumbai (1994), Vadehra Art Gallery in Delhi (1999, 2017), Sakshi Gallery in Bangalore and Mumbai (2001, 2002).

He has also participated in various international exhibitions, including "Aspects of Modern Indian Art" in Oxford, UK (1982); "Contemporary Indian Art" as part of the Festival of India in London (1982); "Seven Indian Artists" in Hamburg, West Germany (1982); "Contemporary Indian Art" as part of the Festival of India in New York (1985); "Festival of India" at the Center George Pompidou in Paris (1986); and "Coupe de Coeur" in Geneva (1987).

Patwardhan's paintings have found a place in numerous public and private collections, including the National Museum of Modern Art in New Delhi, Lalit Kala Academy in New Delhi, Punjab University Museum in Chandigarh, Bharat Bhavan in Bhopal, Gallery of Contemporary Art in Kochi, Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts, USA, and the Herwitz Family Collection in the USA.

Currently, the artist resides and continues his artistic practice in Mumbai.

Sudhir Patwardhan's Art style

Patwardhan's artistic journey has been characterized by an evolution of his figurative style, encompassing both expressionist drawings and large intricate oil paintings depicting town and cityscapes.

In some of Patwardhan's artworks, certain images take on a brief and nearly flat yet vital silhouette. Conversely, in others, the painter revels in capturing the palpable, sensuous volumes of bodies, clothes, and hair, brought to life through the interplay of light and shadow on their surfaces. His figures are self-contained, and he respects their individuality and inherent inaccessibility.

Patwardhan's vast acrylic canvases often present what seems like a faithful depiction of a specific area in Mumbai, where a blend of decent residential buildings and impoverished ones, of industries and nature. However, these paintings emit a strangely enchanting ambiance - simultaneously serene and disturbing, appearing roughly literal yet infused with delicate poetic nuances that evoke grandeur. Patwardhan creates an aura that transcends the concrete and the singular, delving into the contemporary life cycle.